SAINT PAUL – After more than four decades of serving patients in the region, St. Paul dentist Ken Miller has been honored with the Alberta Dental Association’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award.
The American Dental Association said the award, presented on September 11 at the association’s third annual meeting, recognizes members who have made “outstanding contributions to improving oral health in Alberta and advancing the dental profession” for at least 25 years.
Miller said the honor came as a surprise. His daughter, Julie, who now works with him in the clinic, quietly collected letters supporting his nomination. “I didn’t even know about it until I received a congratulatory message from the president of the American Dental Association,” he said.
He thanked his family, friends, staff, and others who have supported him throughout his career, and specifically mentioned his wife, Maureen, who has managed the clinic and its staff for many years. “Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Miller said.
Miller graduated from the University of Alberta School of Dentistry in 1981 and grew up in nearby Elk Point. His grandfather practiced there from 1920 to 1972, and his father worked there until 1995.
Unlike them, Miller chose dentistry in part for a more balanced lifestyle. “Back then, in small towns, doctors were on call 24 hours a day,” he recalls.
Miller says that what truly drew him to dentistry was the ability to help others. He derives deep satisfaction from relieving pain and improving his patients’ lives.
Noticing that rural patients often had to travel long distances to receive specialist care, after working in Edmonton for about five years, he returned to a small town and opened his own practice in St. Paul.
He also enjoys small-town living because of its convenient transportation and short commute, allowing him to go home for lunch and return home quickly after get off work.
However, his top priority remains providing the best medical care. “Even in a small town, I want to provide my patients with the highest quality dental care,” he says, adding that staying relevant requires continuous learning.
Miller has witnessed significant changes in dentistry, including advances in dental implant technology, which have revolutionized the denture experience for patients—”almost like having your own teeth,” he says.
However, he warns that neglecting oral health can have serious consequences. He recalls a patient who developed a brain abscess due to a tooth infection, requiring a three- to four-week hospital stay at the University of Alberta Hospital.
“Infections can spread from the mouth to other parts of the body, including the heart and brain,” Miller says. “People should brush, floss, and take good care of their teeth—you don’t realize you had an infection until it’s gone.”